New Crystals!

Melange just received a new shipment of stones including some new and interesting ones! Here they are with their properties:

Aragonite: is a stone that is strongly associated with the Earth Goddess. As such it exhibits many of the qualities one would associate with Earth; it is grounding, promotes a wish to be eco-friendly, clears blocked ley-lines, centers, grounds, and stabilizes root and sacral chakras. Aragonite promotes stability, concentration, tolerance and patience.

Iolite: is a very good stone for clairvoyance, visualization, insight, and is associated with the Third Eye. Iolite can also be used to help you contact and express your true self, freeing you from others' expectations. Emotionally Iolite releases discord within relationships.

Kyanite: is a very spiritual stone, helping you to stay true to your spiritual self. It is also related to the Throat Chakra and promotes self-expression and communication and helps one to see spiritual and psychological truths. Kyanite helps you to deal with karmic fallout and your past by helping with the realization of your role in causing your own fate and karma. This stone is also useful for increasing your capacity to be logical and linear and helps to remove stress, confusion, anger, frustration and other blockages.

Larimar: is a beautiful stone from the Caribbean and is used to protect oneself from oneself. On a spiritual level it harmonizes you with new vibrations, helps dissolve spiritual boundaries and aids in communication with the angelic realm. Larimar is good for finding one's soul mate and heals trauma from past (and past life) relationships.

Pink Tourmaline: is an aphrodisiac that attracts material and spiritual love. It inspires trust in love and self love. It cleanses the heart chakra and removes blockages and emotional pain and old destructive feelings. Pink tourmaline also promotes peace, relaxation and connects physical and spiritual love.

Shungite: This mysterious stone is only found in one region of northern Russia. Though no one is quite sure where this stone came from or how it was formed, Shungite's healing properties have been historically and scientifically documented thoroughly. Shungite contains a powerful anti-oxidant called a "fullerene" which, until it had been discovered in shungite, was only found in small doses around the world, supposedly where lightning had struck. Despite the presence of fullurenes however, scientists are still at a loss to explain all of shungite's healing properties such as: a vast improvements in those with chronic diseases such as liver disease, kidney diseases and gastrointestinal diseases,  aiding recovery from skin diseases and prevention hair loss and revitalization of hair.  Shungite is also said to help with wrinkles and restore skin elasticity. As well, Shungite has been said to block electromagnetic radiation from cell phones, radios and other modern appliances.

Super Seven: This stone, also known as Sacred Seven, contains amethyst, clear quartz, smokey quartz, cacoxenite, rutile, goethite, and lepidochrosite. It is a powerful stone for healing the mind, body, and spirit. Super Seven can cleanse negative attachments, assist in clearing emotional issues, and help contact spirit guides.

March Workshops & Events

Chakra Balancing Series (Scarlet)

Welcome to this weekly in-depth exploration of the chakras. Each week will focus on a different chakra with the last class being a cleansing of the auric bodies. Learn about blocks and how to release them, correspondences to help you tap into the chakra energies and cleanse your own chakras, and exercises to help you become more in tune with each chakra.

*Please bring a cup for tea at the start of each class, wear warm yoga clothing and bring a mat or cushion to sit upon.

Every Thursday starting February 21st through 8 classes to April 17th 7-9pm

$250 for all 8 classes (saving you $70 if prepaid in full) or $40 per class

Root Chakra: Tuesday February 21st, 7-9pm

Navel Chakra: Tuesday February 27th, 7-9pm

Solar Plexus Chakra: Tuesday March 6th, 7-9pm

Heart Chakra: Tuesday March 13th, 7-9pm

Throat Chakra: Tuesday March 20th, 7-9pm

Third Eye Chakra: Tuesday April 3rd, 7-9pm

Crown Chakra: Tuesday April 10th, 7-9pm

Aura Cleansing: Tuesday April 17th, 7-9pm

Gemstone Healing (Catharine)

Every gemstone has multiple properties from geological to symbolic and energetic. This course explores some of the more common gems we find in stores, shows or in jewellery pieces, and goes in depth to explore your relationship to the stone and its' healing properties for your life.

Thursday, March 1st, 7-9pm, $40

Pagan Chants Workshop (Amanda)

Chant plays an important part in many Pagan rituals for creating a group mind and raising energy. It's also fun! In the first hour Amanda will introduce us some of the classics, as well as newer Pagan chants that she has learned in her travels to Pagan communities across North America. In the second hour, participants will be invited to share chants with the rest of the group. Don't worry, if no one brings chants for the second hour, Amanda has plenty of her own to fill the time! Song sheets will be provided for the first hour.

Sunday, March 4th, 2-4pm, $10 (All proceeds will go to the MPRC)

Pendulums for Divination and Diagnosis (Catharine)

Pendulums are amazing at determining answers based on our natural magnetic fields. They can react differently with different people too. Certain gems will resonate with you for your pendulum. A lot of people will ask questions of love or money, but did you know it can also give us answers that can assist in diagnosing a multitude of issues?  It's all in asking the right questions. You will have a chance to try a number of pendulums and practice using yours in a variety of ways. Come on out!

Thursday, March 8th, 7-9pm, $40

Gypsy Magic 101 (Ameara)

This introduction to gypsy magick will explore working with magickal energy, how to cast a spell, how to call upon the divine forces, herbal properties, and candle magick. We will walk through what magick is, how to call upon the elements for simple intention magick, what herbs and colors to use for a purpose, and what divine powers to call, associations etc.

Sunday, March 11th, 1-3pm, $30

You will walk away with a few simple spells to start your magickal practice:

Making Money: With simple cinnamon, green tea, and a green candle.

Attracting or Choosing a Lover: Bottle caps or other objects in water as well as a simple attraction magick candle spell.

Calm and Clear Mind: Herbs to use in baths or aromatherapy to aid in meditation and clarity of mind spell.

Spellcrafting 101 (Courtney)

Craft and cast your own spells, from start to finish! Learn the simple underlying concepts which make particular spell constructs work the way they do. By the end of the class, you should be able to create your own spells for any purpose. The class includes take-away spellcraft reference materials, and one of Courtney's personal favorite spells for luck!

Saturday, March 17th, 3-5pm, $35

PUBLIC OSTARA RITUAL (MPRC- Diane & Alain)

Come join us to celebrate Ostara and welcome spring at the same time. Spring is a time for new births, planting, new beginnings, and fertility. Cold and darkness are leaving us, nature will come to life again, exposing a beautiful vegetation and marvelous colours.

Please bring a small flower pot and your feast (to share) and feast gear.

Sunday, March 18th, 2pm (after the St-Patrick’s Day Parade)

Re-Programming Reality: Techno-Pagan Techniques for Beginners (Courtney)

Learn a few new spellcrafting techniques from a Techno-Pagan point of view! Courtney goes over some of the most basic techniques and thought-patterns which she uses in her spell work, from re-programming reality to ‘running’ a spell in the background. This class requires that participants have basic knowledge of how to cast a spell, but does not require any prior knowledge of computers.

Saturday, March 24th, 3-5pm, $30

Basic Runelore pt. 1: Reading the Runes (Matt)

In this workshop, you will learn how the runes of the Elder Futhark can be used to magickal effect. With references to Eddic and Sagic sources, you will learn how the energetic currents of the runes can be tamed and channelled to create all manner of magickal effects. The Ancient Viking tools of liberation can become your allies, allowing you to make changes in your perception, your mode of activity, and your world. Join us to experience the liberation that comes with self-empowerment.

Sunday, March 25th 3-5 pm. $35

Magick of Incense Making (Ameara)

Fire is the element of Magick, the Magick spark, sacred fires, candles. And air is the element of incense, smoke, smudge. Bring these elements together with earth and herbology. How can these elements work together to create Magick?

Friday, March 30th, 7-9pm, $35

Reiki Level I (Robyn)

Join us in this intensive course to learn all you need to know to become a First Degree Reiki Practitioner. Topics covered will include: the history and origins of Reiki, the ethics of being a Reiki practitioner, what the hand positions are in a full Reiki session, how to treat others as well as yourself, and formal initiation to the Usui Shiki Ryoho style of Reiki. Time will be given for practice as well.

Saturday, March 31st, 10am-5pm $150

2012 Calendars: Only a few left!

2012 calendars were in high demand this year, so much so that we only have a very few left and so do our suppliers. What we have in stock now is likely to be the last we will get this year so hurry and get yours before they are all gone!

Here's what we still have in the store:

Maynard's Pocket Astrologer 2012 (Pacific Time)

  Maynard's 2012 Astrologer's Datebook

Llewellyns 2012 Daily Planetary Guide

The '12 Lunar Calendar

2012 Multifaith Calendar

2012 Witches Calendar

What is Technopaganism?

Introduction to Technopaganism

What's a Technopagan? Like most Pagan terminology, people like to argue about its definition. A broad interpretation suggests that a Technopagan is just someone who isn't averse to including electronics or modern technology in their practices. A narrower interpretation might claim that someone calling themselves a Technopagan must actively make use of the Internet, or some other specific device, when doing magick. I consider myself to be a Technopagan and a Wiccan; personally, I prefer to say that a Technopagan is anyone who recognizes the importance and relevance of technology to our modern spirituality. To understand exactly what I mean by this requires a bit of an explanation.

The Spirit of Technology

The word 'technology' has been around for many centuries. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, 'technology' was used as early as 1610 to refer to a "discourse or treatise on an art or the arts." In the mid-eighteeen hundreds, the word came to refer specifically to scientific arts. Once, society used the word 'technology' to refer to the loom, the cotton gin, typewriters, the steam engines, and other exciting scientific advances which were current at the time. Today, when we think of technology, we think of microchips, high-definition screens, and the Internet.

Technology is now, and always has been, an unavoidable reality of daily life. To some modern Pagans, technology is viewed as a kind of enemy: it spoils nature, 'clogs up' the energy in a room, or destroys the ambiance of their rituals. But technology is still the same thing as it ever was; it is a daily tool in our lives which can be used for good or for ill. Those who disdain a computer in their ritual room but enjoy the use of indoor running water are therefore missing an important bit of perspective. Town wise-women used any and all materials around their home in order to craft their spells; they turned their daily lives into something magickal. The spells we have from them may still be valid, but if we are to turn our spellcasting into something personally meaningful in this day and age, we cannot afford to pretend that technology does not exist: it is entirely too pervasive and too present in our lives.

We like to romanticize old inventions: the horse and carriage, gaslight lamps, waterwheels, and others. Just remember that once upon a time, these golden age inventions were eyed suspiciously by people just like you. "I don't want some giant carriage and its horses trampling through town square" some would say, or "these gas lamps will be the death of us-- I bet they'll explode one of these nights and kill us all." Modern inventions are just as miraculous and mysterious as our romantic horse-drawn carriages... we just need to see them from the correct perspective.

What About Technopagan Magick?

I know what you're thinking: "This is all very interesting, I suppose, but where's the magick at?" That's a valid question, and I'm perfectly happy to answer it.

My magick involves a certain awareness of the energy and function of technology. When I do a ritual, I always make myself aware of the energy field and the consciousness of each piece of technology in the room. I believe that all objects, people, and areas have a consciousness of their own-- it may not be the sort of consciousness we're most used to, but something is there all the same, and it can have an effect on your magick. Some Pagans will handle having technology in the room by pretending it isn't there, but this is a flawed methodology which will only lead to irritations and interruptions in your spellwork. Mentally and spiritually recognize your technology, if only briefly, while creating your sacred space. Your technology does its best to be useful to you in your daily life: it's only fair that you recognize it for this importance, rather than sweeping it under the rug because it's not quite as 'natural' as your wand or your incense.

One thing most Technopagans can agree on is the idea that your computer has a spirit of its own, which can be either properly cultivated or else woefully neglected. If you use your computer extensively, and put large parts of your life on it, you should respect it enough to give it a name. This name can be serious or affectionate or even just a bit of a joke, as long as it is given in the right spirit. You can even sanctify your computer, or dedicate it to a particular God or Goddess, as long as your computer is all right with the idea.

In a similar vein, tell your computer how much you love it and how grateful you are that it does what it does for you so very tirelessly and efficiently. No, I'm not kidding. Ever since I started doing this, I've found that my computers work a lot harder for me, and have even developed their own personalities and energy 'flavors.' More than once, I've begged my computer to try just a little harder, or go just a little longer on a low battery during a critical moment: and it does. Now that's love.

Are there other Technopagan techniques I use in my spellwork? Absolutely! I'm a webmaster, a computer programmer, and a database security gal by trade. I take this stuff pretty seriously, and it bleeds over into my spiritual life as a natural consequence. I wouldn't recommend all my techniques for a non-techie, but I do find that a lot of my methodologies make a lot of sense to the modern Pagan-- even if they barely know how to check their email.

Want to know more? I'll be giving an in-depth workshop on some of the more interesting techniques I use in my practices; I'll elaborate on a lot of the basic concepts here, and even teach you a few easy ways to tighten up your traditional spellwork using techno-logic. Stop neglecting your technology, and give it the love it deserves!


Re-Programming Reality: Techno-Pagan Techniques for Beginners (Courtney)
Learn a few new spellcrafting techniques from a Techno-Pagan point of view! Courtney goes over some of the most basic techniques and thought-patterns which she uses in her spell work, from re-programming reality to ‘running’ a spell in the background. This class requires that participants have basic knowledge of how to cast a spell, but does not require any prior knowledge of computers.

Saturday, February 11th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, $30